On November 19, 2025, the House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee held a hearing on modernizing care coordination to prevent and treat chronic disease. There was discussion about ways to combat rising medical costs as well as preserving access to care, especially for populations in need.
OPENING STATEMENTS
WITNESS TESTIMONY
- Dr. Michael Hoben, MD, Chief Medical Officer of Population Health Services, Novant Health – Testimony
- Mrs. Allison Reichert, PharmD, Pharmacist, Bode Drug – Testimony
- Dr. Ashish Parikh, MD, Chief Population Health Officer, Summit Health – Testimony
- Mr. Brian Connell, Vice President of Federal Affairs, Blood Cancer United – Testimony
MEMBER DISCUSSION
Extension of the Advance Premium Tax Credits (APTCs)
The most repeated argument made by Democrats in attendance was the need to extend the APTCs for at least 1 more year. Reps. Mike Thompson (D-CA-04), Judy Chu (D-CA-28), and Danny Davis (D-IL-07) all argued that you cannot coordinate care for those without access to it. Subcommittee Ranking Member Lloyd Doggett (D-TX-37) questioned Mr. Connell on what would happen to patients with chronic diseases if their health insurance coverage lapsed due to unaffordable premiums, to which Mr. Connell replied that there is no self-pay option for cancer treatments, and health care costs will increase due to more frequent emergency room visits to manage chronic diseases. Rep. Kevin Hern (R-OK-01) pushed back, stating that costs need to be lowered for all populations, not just those who are on ACA marketplace plans.
The Democrats were also strongly against replacing APTCs with health savings accounts (HSAs). Ranking Member Lloyd Doggett argued that APTCs go directly to pay for health care costs while HSAs can be used to finance other purchases. Rep. Greg Murphy (R-NC-03) rebutted that HSAs give patients greater choice in their health care spending. Rep. Blake Moore (R-UT-01) conceded that HSAs are currently only available for high deductible insurance plans and advocated for the passage of H.R.955, which would allow expanded access to tax-advantaged health savings accounts.
Extension of Telehealth Services
There was bipartisan support for extending and expanding COVID-era telehealth services. Reps. Thompson, Hern, Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-01), and Moore all agreed that telehealth options improve access, especially in rural areas and among senior populations, while lowering the cost of care. Mr. Connell, Dr. Hoben, and Dr. Parikh agreed as well, saying that connecting increased care options with lower costs and better continuity of care would keep patients out of emergency rooms.
Expansion of Provider Licensing
Full Committee Chairman Adrian Smith (R-NE-03) expressed support for expanding care options for pharmacists through his legislation H.R.3164, which would allow pharmacists to test and treat for common diseases, such as influenza, without seeing a primary care provider. Dr. Reichert also agreed that including pharmacists as part of the broader care team would help address the needs of patients with chronic diseases. Dr. Reichert stated that federal recognition of pharmacists as providers would preserve access to care, especially for rural and senior populations. Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL-17) was in favor of a similar status for chiropractors, mentioning H.R.539, which would expand Medicare coverage to all chiropractic services, allowing chiropractors to be a larger part of a chronic pain care team.